It must be said that, to this day, the shock Rozen had brought to the onmyoji was immense.
Not to mention that he shattered the barrier set by the Binding Princess in an instant, but just the terrifying and noble spiritual energy emanating from him alone brought an overwhelming pressure to the onmyoji—so heavy that it felt like being crushed under tens of times the force of gravity, leaving them breathless.
As a result, when they saw Rozen effortlessly breaking through the barrier surrounding Onmyo Academy, the National First-Class Onmyoji could still hold themselves together, but the Magic Crimes Investigation Department officers and Exorcism Bureau officials brought here for the operation completely lost their composure.
Thus, in the next moment, a Magic Crimes Investigation Department officer wielding a gun was the first to lose his cool.
"Ah…! Ahhhhhhh…!"
With a terrified scream, that officer finally lost control and raised his gun.
"Stop!"
Noticing this, Miyachi Iwao was shocked and shouted to stop him.
Unfortunately, Miyachi Iwao failed.
Bang!
With the gunshot, the officer could no longer hold back and pulled the trigger.
The bullet instantly tore through the air, shooting forward at high speed.
And that officer's action ignited the suppressed fear in the others, completely shattering their reason.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang…!
In the next moment, one after another, officers of the Magic Crimes Investigation Department pulled their triggers, unleashing a rain of bullets in Rozen's direction.
"Order!"
"Order!"
At the same time, the Exorcism Bureau officials also lost their rationality, shouting as they threw their talismans, unleashing all sorts of attacks.
In an instant, flames raged, torrents surged, vines whipped, chunks of earth shot forward, and golden swords and iron blades spun into the air—all attacking Rozen at once.
Of course, the onmyoji's shikigami also began to rampage.
"Swish! Swish! Swish…!"
In the sky, flocks of semi-transparent pale blue swallows shot forth.
These were the commonly used Binding-Type shikigami of the Magic Crimes Investigation Department, mass-produced by the Weczev Corporation—〈WA1·Swallow Whip〉.
"Woosh!"
At the same time as the Swallow Whips swarmed forward, other officers' shikigami let out cat-like cries, lunging toward Rozen.
They were large, completely blue cats.
Like the Swallow Whips, they were also Binding-Type shikigami developed by Weczev Corporation, but instead of forming airborne formations, they specialized in ground-based encirclements. These were another favorite of the Magic Crimes Investigation Department—〈WA2·Cat Bind〉.
Naturally, the Exorcism Bureau officials had their own shikigami.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
With the sound of heavy footsteps, towering mechanical giants—standing three meters tall, built entirely of metal, their massive bodies as heavy as tanks, moving slowly yet radiating terrifying power—marched forward.
These were Heavyweight Guardian-Type shikigami, created by the Onmyo Agency—〈G1-Type· Nioh〉.
Previously, Kurahashi Genji had demonstrated two Guardian-Type shikigami, also created by the Onmyo Agency—〈G2-Type·Yasha〉.
Unlike the nimble and mobile Yasha, Nioh was an all-purpose heavy tank, favored by onmyoji for its enormous size and brute strength, making it highly effective in handling Spiritual Disasters and large-scale assaults. Even elite Exorcism Bureau officials and Magic Crimes Investigation Department officers utilized Nioh—for example, Amami Daizen, whose Guardian-Type shikigami were two specially customized Nioh.
The Exorcism Bureau members present were all elites, personally brought by Miyachi Iwao to arrest Rozen, a high-profile criminal. Thus, even though typical onmyoji found it difficult to acquire and control such Guardian-Type shikigami, they all possessed them.
And so, as the Magic Crimes Investigation Department fired their guns and the Exorcism Bureau unleashed their jujutsu talismans, their favored shikigami charged forth in swarms, creating an overwhelming barrage aimed at Rozen.
In response, Rozen made only one movement.
That was—a clap.
"————"
Chanting a brief incantation, Rozen clapped his hands together.
Boom—!
An overwhelming wave of jutsuryoku burst forth as a shockwave.
And so, the bullets were deflected.
And so, the flames, torrents, vines, earth chunks, and golden swords and iron blades were all sent flying.
The approaching Swallow Whips shattered collectively.
The lunging Cat Binds were all dispersed.
Even the famed Heavyweight Guardian-Type shikigami, the Nioh, were blasted away like mere trash.
On the rooftop altar, a jutsuryoku shockwave exploded outward, repelling all incoming threats.
Not only that, but the shockwave continued to expand, surging toward the onmyoji standing in the distance.
"""""Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…!"""""
A chorus of screams erupted as the onmyoji were sent flying as if struck by a Category-10 typhoon. Some crashed against the rooftop entrance walls, some rolled across the ground, and others were directly blown off the rooftop—plunging down toward a life-threatening fall.
"Not good!"
Yuge Mari gasped in shock, swiftly pressing her hands together to form barriers, shielding those about to be blown away or already plummeting from the rooftop.
"What kind of jutsu is this…!"
Yamashiro Hayato hastily used a Earth-Talisman, raising a stone wall in front of himself—only to see it shatter instantly under the force of the shockwave, his face twisting in terror.
However, it was Kogure Zenjirou who reacted the fastest.
"Kokuryuu, Dassai, Reisen, Hou'oubiden!"
Kogure Zenjirou called out to his shikigami.
Hearing his call, the Tengu flapping wildly in the shockwave let out sharp caws.
"Damn it! No choice!"
"Let's fight!"
"We can't let Zenjirou be bullied!"
"Watch me!"
The four Tengu immediately flew in different directions, emitting piercing cries.
The soundwaves spread outward, disrupting the jutsuryoku flow, causing the shockwave to become unstable and gradually dissipate.
"Hah!"
Taking this opportunity, Kogure Zenjirou swiftly drew his Divine Blade, channeling his jutsuryoku into it, and slashed down with the force of splitting mountains and rivers.
"Clang—!"
A sharp slash tore through the air, cleaving the shockwave apart.
The jutsuryoku blade extended like a vacuum slash, slicing through the shockwave while racing toward Rozen like a scythe of energy.
This attack was so powerful that the ground along its path was split open, leaving a deep trench.
Seeing this, Rozen raised an eyebrow.
"So, I'm not the only one who has grown stronger."
With a glance, Rozen could tell that Kogure Zenjirou had become much more powerful than before.
"If your attacks had this level of power back then, things wouldn't have been so easy for me."
Rozen, however, neither dodged nor made any movement at all.
Instead, his black coat billowed without wind, and its hem—like a shadowy curtain—suddenly flared up.
"Boom—!"
With a single flick of his coat's hem, the jutsuryoku blade was deflected.
"Tsuchimikado Akikan!"
At this moment, Kogure Zenjirou lunged forward like an arrow, his Divine Blade slashing straight toward Rozen.
"Clang—!"
The clash resounded.